Thieves target farms after 12 cattle killed

Police in Limpopo have launched a huge manhunt for livestock thieves.

The suspects, according to the police, move around farms, targeting cattle and slaughtering them to sell the meat, or for their own consumption.

Spokesperson for the police in Limpopo, Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo, said a total of 12 cattle were found slaughtered on a farm outside Polokwane at the weekend.

Mojapelo said police received a tip-off about a syndicate that was targeting farms around Polokwane.

He said police investigations discovered 12 cattle slaughtered in different spots in one farm.

He said the cattle were found on Saturday and Monday.

“Eight carcasses were found in the early hours of Monday on Palmitfontein Farm, situated next to the Silicon Road outside Polokwane. The thieves were apparently disturbed as they left all the carcasses and instruments they were using to dismember the animals,” said Mojapelo.

“The other cattle were found slaughtered on Saturday on the same farm. The thieves managed to take the carcasses and left only small portions of the meat.”

He said police received information from the cattle herdsmen soon after midnight, complaining that they could not locate a number of cattle on the farm.

“On arrival, police conducted searches on the farm and then discovered the carcasses,” said the Mojapelo.

Meanwhile, another farmer near Tzaneen, Frank Molewa of Relela village, has reported that two of his cattle have gone missing.

Molewa said his cattle started to go missing one by one after he hired a herder to look after them in grazing fields between Bolobedu and Ga-Khenakana in the Tarentaalrand area.

“We searched for the cattle since they went missing two months ago without any trace. I have lost hope of ever finding them.

“I think they have also been stolen after a series of stocktheft incidents were reported in this area,” he said.

Anyone with information about these incidents should contact Captain Lucky Ramashala on 082-371-8117, the Crime Stop number on 0860-010-111 or the nearest police station.

We searched for the cattle since they went missing two months ago without any trace. I have since lost hope.

Frank Molewa Farmer